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Following is an excerpt of "Hurricanes, Floods, and God" by Stan Coffey added on 09/20/2005.
Hurricanes, Floods, and God
Stan Coffey
Luke 3:1-5

1. The minds and hearts of all Americans are with the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The cities of New Orleans, Gulfport and Biloxi have been totally wiped out. Tens of thousands of people are now homeless, having lost everything in this terrible storm.

2. Many have asked the question, where was God when this storm ravaged the lives of so many? Was this a judgment of God on these particular cities? What does the Bible say at a time such as this?

3. Jesus dealt with this issue at least two times. First notice what He said in Matt. 5: 43-45: "You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

4. Were the people of Biloxi and Gulfport and New Orleans more
deserving of a storm to be sent upon them than the people of Amarillo? No,
Jesus said, "He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends
rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

5. In other words, Hurricane Katrina devastated the lives of both the
evil and the good; the righteous and the unrighteous. God did not pick these
cities out for some particularly harsh judgment because they were worse than
some other cities.

6. Then notice the words of Jesus in Luke 3:1-5, "At that time some
people came and reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had
mixed with their sacrifices. And He responded to them, 'do you think that
these Galileans were more sinful than all Galileans because they suffered
these things? No I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as
well!. Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed--do you
think that they were more sinful than all the people who live in Jerusalem?
No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!"

7. Jesus is saying just because hard times fall upon someone it is not
necessarily a sign that they are more sinful than someone else. Or just because
someone is a victim of an accident, it doesn't necessarily mean that they
are a greater sinner than someone else.

8. Or just because you, at this present moment, are not experiencing a
tragedy and someone else is, does not necessarily make you more righteous
than them. You see, the common belief in Jesus' day was similar to what many
people believe today. That is, if you are having difficult times or if tragedy
befalls your family then it must mean that God is punishing you. Or it must
be that you have sinned a great sinned.

9. I remind you of the story of Job. Job was the most morally upright
man of his time and yet he lost everything. He lost his family, he lost his fortune,
he lost his fame, and he lost his finances. Yet, none of ...

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